Sport review – Autumn Term 2022

Representing Wetherby Senior

This Autumn Term, over 300 pupils have represented Wetherby Senior, taking part in 88 exciting fixtures against 18 different schools. Our playing statistics for this term alone are:

Played – 88
Won – 38
Drew – 10
Lost – 40

Our School’s first football fixtures took place away at John Lyon School and saw some notable results, specifically a 5-0 win for our U13A team and an enthralling 4-4 draw for Senior 1st team – a good start to our new term. This opening week also saw our senior rugby squad secure a 43-34 victory against University College School, in a highly competitive fixture.

As we moved through our term, we were able to pick up four wins against Kew House across our four senior football teams. We then moved onto Radnor House, where we won two and drew one of our three fixtures with our U13 teams – a brilliant return and result, much of which stems from the engagement shown by our pupils during their training sessions.

A trip to Harrodian saw great results for our Lower School teams, plus high-level activity taking place in our Upper School fixtures. Further good results against Eaton Square, Northwood Senior and North London Grammar School demonstrated our School’s strengths when it comes to competitive fixtures.

Mr Fuller, Director of Sport at Wetherby Senior, said: “It must be said that, no matter the result, every game was a competitive showing by our Wetherby Senior teams, demonstrating the resilience and strong character of each boy, and instilling a culture that will be passed on as our School continues to grow.

“I’d also like to congratulate our Players of the Term, who are named, below. Well done to all!”

U18A football – Santiago E
U18B football – Charlie B
U18C football – George P
U18D Football – Harry SV
U18E football – Arman A
U18A rugby – Elias DP
U15A football – Seif M
U15B football – Loki DR
U15C football – Mohammed S
U14A football – Federico R
U14B football – Sean SS
U14C football – Alex H
U14A rugby – Sina V
U13A football – Zane M
U13B football – Peter G
U13C football – Markus J
U13D football – Benedict S
U13E football – Fitzroy DS

PE and local games during our Autumn Term

Our pupils in Years 7 and 8 were reintroduced to athletics, and introduced to youth athletic development, striking and fielding, invasion games, and leadership during our PE lessons this term. In addition, in Years 9 and 10, boys were reintroduced to youth athletic development, spin, table tennis, and swimming, and introduced to yoga and boxercise.

Our School’s local games offering has been a great success this autumn, in part because of the wide array of physical activity available. Local games includes youth athlete development through spin and gym sessions, yoga, table tennis, boxing and swimming, which helped each pupil to develop as an athlete this term, whilst also picking up valuable transferable skills that they may not have had exposure to before.

Mr Underwood, Head of PE at Wetherby Senior, explained: “The skill level and commitment of our pupils within table tennis, for example, has influenced our Department to create an U13 and an U15 team to partake in the ISA London North competition next term. This shows significant progress and enthusiasm by our young people.

“Alongside this, our Youth Athlete Development sessions have seen boys listen and take on board the information from our coaches. They have a greater understanding of why athletic development is important to them, whether inside or outside of sport. Finally, exposure to boxing, swimming and yoga has allowed our pupils to pick up skill sets that can help them develop, physically and mentally.”

Inter-Trib triumph

Our Sport Department is proud to have seen, alongside engagement from pupils with fixtures, training and local games, a strong commitment to our challenging inter-Trib sporting events.

Mr Fuller said: “Our senior inter-Trib rugby fixtures saw the majority of boys compete, while our U15 rugby fixtures saw every pupil in the year participate – an outstanding achievement!

“In addition, our inter-Trib rowing saw 64 boys partake from across all years, which was fantastic. Ravensbourne were the winners across all three events, so are Wetherby Senior’s stand-out Trib for sport this term. Congratulations Ravensbourne!”

Club continuation

This Autumn Term, Wetherby Senior’s Sport Department has run more than 12 weekly clubs, with over 130 boys involved each week.

Mr Stokoe’s Friday lunch Tour De France spin sessions have gone from strength to strength this term. Mr Stokoe said: “With a different challenge set each week, our boys enjoy the lively atmosphere and chance to compete against their friends.”

Football clubs, taking place on Monday and Tuesday for our Lower School and Year 9 squads, have seen players work on their skills and tactics, in preparation for their next games. Given the excellent results from our teams, this extra session has been invaluable in supporting the success of our Wetherby Senior squads this season.

Our Sport Department has also seen our gym club increase in numbers this term, as boys embrace the hard work and commitment needed to develop their understanding and body awareness with our strength and conditioning coach, Alfie. In addition, pupils in our Upper School continue to train twice a week, working with Mr Fuller and Alfie to set goals for the future.

Our School’s table tennis club has proven popular this term, with pupils challenging each other in a ladder competition, enabling boys from different year groups to compete and get to know pupils in other years and Tribs. Mr Fuller added: “We have had an amazing response to our table tennis club, so are looking at boys playing fixtures next term, as well as competing in the Independent Schools Association Table Tennis Competition in January.”

Inspiring individuals

Throughout our Autumn Term, Wetherby Senior has been proud to highlight a number of notable individual success stories. This includes Marty V continuing his dominance in the swimming pool, setting even more records at the ISA Nationals in December, and Zehen S, who was selected to represent Great Britain in the European circuit for U17 fencing.

Outside of school, we have a number of boys playing high-level football at different academies, such as QPR, and our Sport Department continues to support these young athletes, where possible.

Looking ahead

In 2023, Years 7 and 8 will move on to contact and non-contact rugby. Our boys will be competing in the inaugural U13 CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) tournament, against Radnor House, Kew House and Harrodian. In PE, our boys will continue their half-termly rotation of youth athletic development, spin, yoga, athletics, striking and fielding, and invasion games with leadership.

Year 9 and 10 will continue with their choice of rugby or football in Games, and rotate on youth athletic development, spin, boxercise, table tennis, swimming, and yoga in PE. Our Year 9 have qualified for the ISFA knock out round, while our Year 10 teams will compete in the CALM Cup.

Years 11, 12 and 13 will continue with two afternoons of Games per week, with the options of football, rugby sevens, youth athletic development, spin, swimming, and boxercise. Our First XI football team will compete against Shiplake College in the first round of the National Society of Heads competition, and also take on Ibstock Place on 20th January, in our annual Friday Night Lights fixture at Ealing Trailfinders.

Other notable events next term include the U13 Table Tennis ISA London North Competition on 11th January, the U15 Table Tennis ISA London North Competition on 17th January, and the U13 and U15 Cross Country ISA London North Competition on 28th February.

Looking back

Reflecting on our Autumn Term 2022, Mr Fuller said: “Overall, this term has been very positive, as our pupils have laid strong foundations for future success through their dedication to improve. This has been displayed by their application to training and then utilising these skills and this experience within their fixtures.

“In addition, our boys have brilliantly honed skills they have picked up from local games, ensuring they can continue their upward trajectory next term, when we have another exciting schedule of sport for all to enjoy.”